Melbourne had such high hopes for the Southern Star Observation Wheel. It was going to be a "stunning addition to the Melbourne landscape" and promised "some of the most spectacular views over Melbourne and beyond".

The $40 million slowly-spinning structure was almost an original idea, based on the London Eye. At 120 metres high, it featured as many as 21 air-conditioned glass cabins that were to showcase views as far as Geelong.

Someone should have climbed a rope to have a look at the view before building it. As the first and subsequent tourists found, all you could see from the top were Melbourne’s adjacent container-infested docks and a messy industrial wasteland of factories and razed slums intersected by ugly elevated freeways and new apartment complexes.

It wasn’t what discerning tourists would want to see. Geelong? Forget it … lost in the Port Phillip haze most days.

Then came the bad news. Barely weeks into what was hoped to be an extended spin-cycle, a tourist travelling alone in one of the 21 glass cabins noticed rust patches breaking through new paint on the vital support arms. Further investigation revealed extensive corrosion throughout.

The Japanese-supplied steel was rusting at an alarming rate. The last few passengers were ushered out of the cabins and the wheel was switched off. And quickly taken apart "for repairs".

It now lies on the ground in bits – rusty steel jigsaw parts scattered across the construction site. The 21 air-conditioned glass cabins are stored in a hot shed. Some say the wheel will be rebuilt. Others say it won’t, and shouldn’t be.

Maybe not in Melbourne, but why not in Sydney?

Reinforced with welds and sprayed liberally with WD40 and with a natural rusty finish, like the central steel shaft of Centrepoint, it would be a stunning addition to the Darling Harbour landscape. Sitting out on the end of the proposed peninsula it would be a magnificent finishing touch to the imaginative new hotel in its unmatched reclaimed harbour setting.

And from the top ... much more to look at than in Melbourne. Happily rotating tourists from all over the world could see the Bridge, the Opera House, and all the boaters out on Sydney Harbour ... and the boaters could not miss seeing it; a very useful landmark for navigation.

Riders at Luna Park’s much smaller non-glass cabined and non-air-conditioned ferris wheel would be able to easily see that this one is bigger, better and right near Barangaroo; the views of which will doubtless be absolutely stunning.

Melbourne’s mistake is Sydney’s golden opportunity. Those who object should move with the times and not try to hold back those with the ideas, foresight and money to make Sydney a better place for all.

Ross Henderson,
Chipping Norton.

Mongrels cut mooring line

Like many others I enjoyed a pleasant New Year’s Eve on my vessel on the harbour with friends.

However, when returning to Rushcutters Bay I found that during the night some vessel had sunk my mooring, adjacent to the CYCA marina. When finally we retrieved the mooring we discovered that the mongrels had evidently got their prop tangled and to free themselves had cut the 1ins main mooring line clean through with a knife, and hadn’t the decency to at least buoy it.

So Magnum had no home for a couple of weeks, and we are hundreds of dollars out of pocket to retrieve and renew the mooring.

It’s a vain hope, but it would be nice if skippers out on the harbour were competent, sober, kept a look out and were prepared to accept responsibility for any damage they cause instead of skulking off into the night.

Rob Wilton,
Lyneham.

The red tide of nitrates and high speed hoon boats

The problem mentioned in Tony Gates’s letter (Afloat Nov’09) has been spoken about by many experts over the years.

His comments about the often poor reactions from some local government and water authorities is also long overdue.

The Central Coast lakes have become shallow water ‘swamps’ caused by silt from uncontrolled run-off from suburban areas.

Yes, the long drought and water harvesting has also reduced the flushing that once helped to keep many rivers and lakes healthy. Human actions such as over fertilising of lawns in the pursuit of that European look does not help. That is an education matter, although with all the money spent on anti-litter campaigns I would not hold out for much success.

The various authorities need to adopt measures such as simple passive silt and rubbish traps, the further tightening of restrictions on structures and gardens associated with residences on the water edges. Given time nature will heal itself.

Lakes such as Lake Macquarie are fast going the same way. Surely it is time that all development on our waterways be addressed with more long term environmental thought than just the rights of a few and the perceived need to just create jobs at any cost.

Especially large marinas that will accommodate mainly fuel-guzzling high speed motor boats whose wash if not regulated will cause long term damage to soft-edged lakes such as Lake Macquarie.

R.A. McKay,
Summerland Point.

Misuse of emergency airwaves

First let me declare that I’m a radio officer with the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, I regularly do a night shift to monitor any emergency traffic and boaties requiring information.

It’s difficult enough staying alert monitoring the night radio traffic from passing yachts or chat from offshore commercial vessels, without having to listen to one station bombarding airwaves and tying up the emergency channel every couple of hours with an advertising campaign telling us who they are, where they are, contacts details etc.

I consider this an improper use of the marine radio emergency frequency and should be stopped.

Other VMR stations and vessels monitoring channel 16 in case of an emergency don’t need to hear this unnecessary self publicizing radio guff.

The danger is transiting vessels will turn their radios off to get some peace and possibly endangering lives.

Roger Evans,
by email.

Electrical Matters – more than just fusing

Gavin Sorrell provided some very important information about the safe way for protection of electrical circuits (Afloat Jan’10). May I submit some further information that can make boats even safer.

A fuse blows for a reason. It could be old and the filament fatigued by vibration, or it could have been overloaded and simply blew. Either way it is necessary to try and find out why because there may be a fault somewhere that is not being rectified. Before replacing the rated fuse have a look at the item that the fuse was protecting for malfunction, damage or deterioration, and deterioration of the wiring supplying the item.

In particular look at any wiring that is not fastened and which may be subject to fatigue from vibration. All wiring should be restrained so that it is not subjected to fatigue eg from engine vibrations. If wiring is fastened to the vessel and then connects to an engine then provide an ample loop so that the electrical connection does not experience a physical load. Wiring insulation should be clamped where possible to avoid tension of the wiring conductor.

Intermittent faults can be a real pain. Look for moving parts. I was on a ship once where a domestic oscillating fan kept blowing fuses and technicians could not find the cause. What was happening was that as the fan was oscillating, the mechanism for doing this was brushing the lead to the fan motor every now and then. This slowly wore through the insulation and would short circuit the supply and blow the fuse.

Another place that can cause trouble as explained by Gavin Sorrell is resistive joints. If any wiring junction appears to have overheated the insulation my be discoloured or shrunk or look different. These connections need to be checked for their security.

Finally it never hurts on a boring winter’s afternoon to just sit in your boat and look around at the wiring to satisfy yourself that everything is as good as is needs to be.

Alan Turner-Morris,
Forestville.

Reflections of another Halvorsen shipwright

I enjoyed Peter Gossell’s article Reflections of a Halvorsen Shipwright (Afloat Feb’10).

I was one of the apprentices working on the 90-foot motor yacht which took over two years to build.

It was the last job number launched, but not the last vessel launched at Ryde – that was an 80-footer referred to as "Pat’s boat" which was launched shortly after. It had taken about ten years to build and launch.

I do remember Peter speaking to Harold Halvorsen and Harold doing an about turn and going back to his office. I also remember the waterline raising episode.

Peter is a good shipwright and boatbuilder to learn from. I also agree with him that there was a good crew with a broad range of experience and skills working at Lars Halvorsen & Sons in the early 1970s.

Geoff Hatfield,
Berowra.

Single springs doubled up

Alan Lucas in his article ‘Back and Forth’ (Afloat, Jan’10) may take some comfort in the knowledge that one owner of The Complete Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Boating greatly values his copy and refers to it often. He will take no comfort in the information that I bought my copy some years ago at a second-hand shop for $25, from which he will have not received a cent in royalties.

I did notice Mr Lucas’s definition of a backspring in his book and was concerned that it was contrary to my use of the expression. However, reluctant to actually disagree with the guru of Australian boating, I convinced myself to ignore this difference of opinion, but always felt a pang of concern when naming spring lines to novices that they might source a copy of Mr Lucas’s book. Now he owns up!

Emboldened by Mr Lucas’s admission of error, I observe that in his article on springs he speaks of a vessel "singled up" on two springs and I respectfully suggest that we single up to a single line, not to two.

Gary Sullivan,
Sans Souci.

More about springs

Peter Johnston questions whether terminology of springs has changed with time (Afloat Jan’10). Perhaps it can be clarified with extracts from my 1952, Vol 2 Seamanship Manual which states:

Fore spring and after spring …

But to be fully conversant with springs, one must know about other springs such as:

"a fore head spring;

"a fore back spring;

"an after head spring;

"an after back spring."

As one can readily see there are fore springs, head springs, fore head springs, fore back springs, after springs, back springs, after head springs, after back springs.

Phew, I hope this clears things up!

Incidentally, it may have become a bit too confusing for our Admiralty experts as my 1968 Vol. 2 doesn’t describe springs at all.

Lloyd Cropper,
RVCP Port Stephens.

Slocum Spray Society of Australia

The Slocum Spray Society of Australia Inc (SSSA) has set up a Slocum Spray Owners Group to provide a forum for people around the world who own or are building true replicas of Joshua Slocum’s Spray, or derivatives such as the Bruce Roberts designs, to discuss their boats, their experiences, and generally talk Sprays and cruising.

We invite all current and past owners of Sprays to visit our web site www.slocumspraysociety.asn.au and register with the owners group.

Australia has a large number of Sprays, with close to 200 of various sizes from 22-60 feet.

Many Sprays have also been built in the United States and Great Britain, as well as many other countries. See the website for more information about the Slocum Spray Society.

Barry Moore, President, SSSA,
Scarborough, Qld.

Bermagui Fishermen’s Wharf

We have recently completed our new complex at Bermagui.

The new building has replaced the old Fishing Co-Op with a new fishing Co-op and 10 retail shops. There is an Asian restaurant, fresh fish and takeaway seafood shop, men’s & ladies apparel ware, gift shop, coffee shop, real estate and a great wine bar.

An Italian seafood restaurant is in the process of being fitted out ready for Easter. We have new showers and will have laundry facilities in the very near future for visiting vessels.

Susan Lockton,
Bermagui.

Seine trawler Nanaga

I enjoyed Graeme Andrews’s ‘Red Funnel’ article (Afloat Feb’10). Most interesting was the excellent picture of the Seine trawler Nanagai. As a young boy I had heard my father (Joe Puglisi) talking about the boat, and do remember seeing it pre-WWII along with the original John Dory and Hugh Ward’s Pasadena along with many others.

Nanagai’s picture is remarkable as it shows the Beccels seine trawl winch mounted amidships facing starboard with the trawl warp rollers mounted on the starboard bulwark rail to suit.

The picture must have been taken very early in her career as she would have hauled her 840 fathoms (of seine rope per side) beam on to sea and current being a buffer against the weather. This procedure is rare as I have never seen a North Sea seiner fitted as such.

Nanagai was well-known for a number of characteristics: one was she was fitted with a direct reversible Fairbanks Mores diesel, while this early system was unique it was known to be unreliable, it was common knowledge that when berthing the engine had many misfires, causing much anxiety to vessels close by!

Her engine-room casing with skylight over the engine room and wheelhouse are along the lines of steam trawler deck arrangement. It also shows the seine ropes were stowed on the starboard weather side, again unusual; it appears they must have followed the traditional steam trawler system hauling on the weather side making it a wet and indeed dangerous operation on an open deck.

Nanagai must have changed her trawl mode quickly, as I had never heard old hands departed long ago mention this unusual seine trawl rig.

Early NSW east coast seiners (c.1930) were fitted with winches and deck layout to facilitate hauling from the stern as the gear was set in to the weather, then towed, engine slow ahead, with a following sea and current.

Nanagai’s deck layout would have been similar to Cam & Sons William Coomb (as it had been described to me) that the Puglisi family by arrangement with Cam were going to fit out as a Danish seiner. However, she was wrecked near the Drum & Drumsticks in 1931 while sailing from Sydney to Huskisson for Mr A.W.M. Settree to refit from steam to diesel power and re-rigged for Danish seine trawling.

Following that disaster the Puglisi & Greco families continued snapper fishing and did not commence seine trawling until 1938 with a vessel named Michele built by A.W.M. Settree at Huskisson.

Mick Puglisi,
Russell Lea.

Fuel at Yepoon

While cruising I discovered that fuel is now available at Pier One, John Howes Drive, Rosslyn Bay, Yeppoon.

Because the pump is covered over in a low box, it is not visible from the water. We found the proprietor Max Allen to be most obliging. A shop is also located at the top of the ramp.

You can phone Max on (07) 4933 6888; Mob 0419 756 011.

Russell Campbell,
Chatswood.

Gascoigne Cup

I would like to comment on the article about the Gascoigne Cup (Afloat Dec’09).

It mentions Sir James Fairfax as the first winner in Magic. I am led to believe it was actually my great, great uncle Alfred Fairfax who skippered Magic.

In the1880s, he and Messrs Milson and Campbell conspired over a keg of beer in the old Forbes Hotel to race their yachts for a wager. Magic won that race but the competition continued and the fleet grew to form the RSYS.

I have a Sydney Morning Herald report of the race with a photo of the three gentlemen at the Forbes pub – probably among the earliest yachting-related pictures published in the paper.

A picture of Magic is among the memorabilia donated to the RSYS by Alfred Fairfax’s family and has pride of place in the foyer.

David Fairfax,
Mooloolaba.

K-otic steam driven subs

Gregory Blaxell’s article The K 13 monument at Carlingford (Afloat Feb’10) stirred all sorts of memories. Then the illustration of the plaques listing all the RN submarines lost between 1918 and 1955 brought those memories flooding back.

During the 1939-1945 war, I served in three British submarines. The L27, the Tempest and the Tribune.

While on Tempest, I was one of 23 survivors from the crew of 62 when she was sunk by depth charging on Friday 13th February 1942. The name Tempest appears on the right hand plaque in your photograph.

The K Class submarines were almost fated before they got going. Being steam driven on the surface, there were big problems with the high temperatures in the boiler room and at times that water could enter the boat through the twin funnels in heavy seas, and put the boiler fires out.

There were many accidents because of their clumsy manoeuvrability and when operating with surface ships caused the following losses:

K13 sank while on sea trials when her engine room flooded because an intake didn’t close when diving.

K1 collided with K4 off Denmark and was scuttled to avoid being captured.

Towards the end of WWI and in the company of the main fleet, two boats were lost when the cruiser HMS Fearless collided with the leading submarines when a group of K’s were in line.

K17 sank, and the other submarines following turned to avoid her. K6 hit K4 and almost cut her in half; she was then hit by K7 before sinking with no survivors. At the same time K22 (The recommissioned K13 of Gregory Blaxell’s story) and K14 ran into each other but both survived.

So, in just over an hour, two submarines had been sunk, three badly damaged and 105 crew killed. That sad episode has since been referred to as the Battle of May Island as it happened off the island of that name.

But it all didn’t end there. K4 ran aground and was stranded for quite some time and K5 was lost through unknown reasons during a training exercise in the Bay of Biscay in 1921. A signal was received saying that she was diving, but nothing further was heard until wreckage was found later the same day. It was assumed that she had gone beyond her safe maximum depth.

In 1921, K15 sank at her mooring in Portsmouth. Apparently the hot weather (in England?) caused a loss of pressure which caused the diving vents to open. Clumsy at the best of times the K’s took about five minutes to dive because of the need to douse the fires before ‘folding’ the funnels and sealing the outlets!

Bob Appleton OAM,
Grovedale.

Best Endeavours for safety at sea

The Australian National Maritime Museum acknowledges the valuable work undertaken in 2001 to redesign and remodel the safety aloft system on the RAN sail training ship Young Endeavour.

Indeed the museum, having assumed responsibility for the HM Bark Endeavour replica in 2005, subsequently consulted the Young Endeavour management team on the impressive safety system described by Rod Brennan (Afloat Feb’10).

Last December the museum was proud to announce its own initiatives in this area. Our system, while it resembles Young Endeavour’s in many respects, is also innovative.

The HM Bark Endeavour replica safety system, unlike Young Endeavour’s, had to address conditions on a traditional tall ship: wooden masts and spars, rope lines, vast areas of sail, the need to send many more crew members aloft to handle the sails and heritage ship aesthetics …

After considerable research, some equipment different to Young Endeavour’s was selected and, in particular, an alternative fall arrest mechanism chosen.

But full marks to the Young Endeavour team for leading the way so early in this important area of safety at sea.

Mary-Louise Williams, Director,
Australian National Maritime Museum

River councils’ lack of vision

I just came across Alan Lucas’s article A Bridge Too Low (Afloat May’09) concerning the bridge at Woodburn on the Richmond River.

I was in the northern rivers area at the time. However, there is much more to tell when bureaucracy make decisions that affect not only a thriving business, as in the York Bros ship building yards, but a whole area.

The Richmond River is a beautiful waterway that could provide untold hours of pleasure to a gamut of people from the seagoing population, and a much added income to the struggling tourist trade of that beautiful area.

In 1980 I graduated from the NRCAE in business, the mainstay of my end results was an extensive feasibility study that I had carried out on Lismore Landings a proposed inland marina to be built in the duck pond area, a low lying flood prone piece of land situated right in the middle of south Lismore.

A study of this magnitude could only be carried out in a college environment as the research and people involved in collating the three hundred odd interviews would have been unviable and much too expensive, on the chance that nothing may come of it.

The project was acclaimed in the Northern Star as one of the most innovative ever proposed for the future of the river. However, it was decided that it was probably ahead of its time. It would take at least five years while engineering plans were developed and funding was sourced.

Then the councils of the area in all their wisdom built two bridges one at Koraki and one at Woodburn.

These bridges managed to successfully close the river to all seagoing vessels and limited future possible river trade where these vessels could have found refuge in pleasant surrounding while cruising a lovely part of the world.

It also blocked access to areas where repairs and a ship building industry could have been carried out for decades to come.

Steve Smith
by email

R.S.V.P.

Yarrawin

For some years when I lived in Sydney I regularly took my kayak along that stretch of the Lane Cove River much favoured by rowing clubs – from Fig Tree Bridge to Onions Point at Woolwich. One reason was to cast a covetous eye over some of the elegant watercraft moored in the latter vicinity, and in particular a handsome timber-masted yacht of classic lines by name of Yarrawin.

I had often thought of writing to Afloat – Australia’s clearing house for information on these matters – to see if anyone could tell me if the yacht had any historical association by ownership with a once-famous Merino sheep stud property of the same name, in the Marra Creek region between Nyngan and Brewarrina.

As readers would be aware, many a grand (and indeed, not so grand) home in Sydney bears the name of its onetime owner’s former country property, and I thought it quite possible that a classy yacht with the distinctive (and not all that common) name of Yarrawin might be another case in point.

Anyway, having only last week taken my kayak along that same stretch of river for the first time in a couple of years, I find myself writing to you now, not just to inquire about the yacht’s name associations, but also its current whereabouts.

The grand old Yarrawin was not at its usual berth, and as this was a weekday, and it was the first time I had ever noticed her missing, I can only suppose that she now resides elsewhere. Can anyone enlighten me on either score?

Peter Austin,
tel: 0409 046 675,
1 Sylvania Street,
Mount Victoria, NSW 2786.

Model of 18-footer Pastime

I am trying to find out through Afloat whether one of your readers (or their children/grandchildren) have a model of an 18-footer called Pastime? She raced on Sydney Harbour in the 1930s and ’40s.

For some years my father was the part owner and skipper of Pastime and took me as bailer boy on windy days, while some frontrow forwards from either North Sydney or Balmain sat on the windward gunwale to keep her from capsizing.

If the wind dropped they would dive over the side and swim ashore, usually at Rose Bay, to lighten the boat.

I learned all my early sailing from my father. He made me a beautiful model of Pastime in cedar when I was about 10 but sadly died suddenly when I was only 14 and left my widowed mother and myself to pay off a mortgage.

Two years later I was devastated when I arrived home from school one afternoon to find that my mother had sold my treasured model. The boat was about 12 inches long and had an inverted horseshoe as its mainsail insignia … "to bring good luck," my father said.

The hull was varnished and the rudder was moveable but could be fixed by an ingenious track which had V’s cut into it.

I’d love to see the old girl again – if only for a brief glimpse – as she meant so much to me.

If any of your readers know of her whereabouts I’d love to speak to them as I’ve often wondered what happened to my treasure’s pastime.

Geoffrey H. Mills,
tel: (02) 9918 8945,
Clareville.

Jack’s Island

In relation to our family history, I’m wondering if any of your readers know of an island called Jack’s Island at Waitara on Sydney’s upper north shore?

Jim Streater,
tel: 02 9529 6318,
35 Russell Ave,
Sans Souci, NSW 2219

Swanson 32 Jaffa

I built a Swanson 32 called Jaffa. She was registered with the AYF and given the sail number 1943. She was launched 7th December 1975 and registered as a British ship Official Number 396359, her gross tonnage 12.11 and registered tonnage 11.67. This information was carved into the main beam attached to the main bulkhead.

Soon after her original registration I transferred her to the Australian Register. In August 1985 I sold her because I had to have major surgery. In the 10 years I owned her we had a lot of fun. She sailed beautifully! I chose the Swanson design and built her like the proverbial ... so I could do some world cruising. Built the right boat, married the wrong woman. Such is life!

If anyone knows how I can contact her owner or know where she is now, please contact me.

Andrew Hutton,
tel: 02 9907 3505,
ahutton2@optusnet.com.au

Yacht Arkle

I’m hoping Afloat readers can help track down a boat that my wife sailed on in the 1970s. It was named Arkle after the famous steeplechase racehorse from England and was moored in Careening Cove. It belonged to Dr. Anthony Burke.

She believes it was 26 feet in length and was sold by an eastern suburbs yacht broker, perhaps at Rose Bay, in the late ’70s to the editor of a yachting magazine. We’d like to know what class of boat she was and also if she is still around.

Ivan Pagett,
Ivan.Pagett@det.nsw.edu.au
Fishing Point.

Calling all boat owners in Woodford Bay

Woodford Bay, with 251 registered moorings has the largest collection of boat owners on Sydney Harbour. If you would like to attend an informal get together for the boat owners of Woodford Bay to be held in late April, could you please contact Ken Cameron.

Ken Cameron,
tel: 0413 754 953
email: ken.cameron@aquas.com.au.